Portrait Of A Notable Restoration. Oil On Canvas. Golden Wood Frame. Early 19th Century

Interesting portrait of a notable person from the first half of the 19th century. This man belongs to the new elite which succeeds the nobility of the Ancien Régime since the declaration of Human Rights of August 26, 1789. He wears the frock coat or tailcoat. If habit is of French origin, frac is of English origin. The word, which appeared around 1767, is derived from “frock”: “men’s clothing”. Our man wears his loose tie as a scarf. Masculine elegance was a factor in social recognition after the fall of the Empire in 1814. For the new elites, the wearing of clothes was codified and unless you wanted to appear as an eccentric, it was fashionable to follow these prescriptions... These clothes are only worn in certain places and on certain occasions. Note that the white roller wig has disappeared except for traditionalists and conservatives who still wish to mark the political continuity before the years of revolutionary turmoil (1799-1799). Liberal monarchists, Bonapartists or Republicans look to the future - the costume testifying to their modernity... This man therefore belongs to one of these three new political trends in France. Original molded gilded wood frame. Not re-lined. Beautiful portrait from the 1820s. Canvas alone: 63 cm/53 cm